Safety thill-bow or thill-tug and holdback.



' N0. v29,529 PATENTED JUNE 2, 1903.

L.YVW. BENNER. SAFETY THILL Bow OK THILL TUG AND HOLDBAGK.

APPLICATION FILED IEB. 1.8, 1902.

n6 MODEL.

Patented June 2, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

LAFAYETTE W. BENNER, ROCKLAND, MAINE.

SAFETY THILL-B'OW O R-THlLL-TUG AND HOLDBACK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 729,529, dated June 2,1 903.

Application filed February 18, 1902. Serial No. 94,641. (No model.)

- To all whom; it may concern:

Be it known that I, LAFAYETTE W. BENNER, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing at Rockland, Maine, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Safety Thill-Bows or Thill-Tugs and Holdbacks, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in tugs for the support ofvehicle-chills and in certain combination of parts which makeunnecessary under some circumstances parts of the harness and an addedsafeguard in others in case of accident to those parts when in use. Tothis end I have provided a tug which may be readily attached to anyharness and applied to any ordinary thill and which when in place willgive such positive grip on the thill as to firmly retain it, avoid anyslipping, and yet be capable of instantaneous ad justment and release. f

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents my invention as applied to thethill in use. Fig. 2 is a view of one form of mytug in open posi tion.Fig. 3 represents the same clamped on the thill.

As may be seen in Fig. 1, my tugis buckled into the thill-girth asanordinary loop and is clamped upon the thill at about its usual place ofsupport. In general the tug consists of a hook-shaped body portion H,0fsuitable metal, with an upwardly-extending shank having at its upper endabuckle A, which gives it easy hang and facilitates its application toany harness. Pivoted to this hook-body is the latch H, opening upon therelease of its fastening sufficiently to allow the ready withdrawal ofthe thill. An inner lining or packing 0 is provided for the hook andlatch to supply a proper gripping-surface. This is preferably of rubberor other material which will yield slightly upon tightening the catch,thereby giving a frictional bind upon the thill and at the same timereacting with the adjustable catch to hold it firmly latched. To

secure a tight grip upon the..thill, take up any Wear, and give apartial compression to "the surface 0, I provide adjustable fasteningsupon the latch.

In Figs. 2 and 8, d is a ratchet-dog pivoted upon the shank of the hookH and acted on by a leaf-spring e, which, bearing upon the tail of theratchet, tends to keep said latch closed. This ratchet-tooth, with itsbeveled end, takes into the notches of the curved racksurface I upon thelatch Hand as it is shoved down, sliding over the notches as the latchyields, finally locks itself in closed position with the thill firmlygripped between latch and hook and the packing vO slightly compressed.

cZ represents ears upon the detent to stop its backward swing and affordfinger-hold to facilitate its release.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to securebyLetters Patent, is

1. A hook-shaped thill-tug, having a shank, a latch thereon and anadjustable dog pivoted to said shank above said latch for engagementtherewith. v

2. A thill-tug having a shank, a latch pivoted thereto, a dog pivoted tothe shank and I

